Updated September 2026: this 2019 post described coming back from a long new-year vacation to find my whole team had no work, followed by an unexpected request to share a capability deck. I have rewritten it as advice for the first days back after a long break when nothing is waiting for you.
After a long vacation at the start of 2019, I went back to the office refreshed and expecting a full plate. Instead there was nothing, not just for me but for the whole team. The next day I came in anxious to be assigned something, and the only request was to share a capability deck with a colleague.
Is an empty first week back a bad sign?
Rarely. In January, and after other holiday periods, clients and onsite teams restart slowly, and new opportunities take a few weeks to reach offshore teams. If the whole team is quiet, it is the season, not your standing. It becomes worth worrying about only if others are busy and you are not.
What should you do on the first day back?
- Tell your manager you are back and available, in writing, and ask what is expected in the coming weeks.
- Clear the backlog you left: close out any items from before your leave and file their final versions.
- Read what changed: team announcements, policy updates and any client news you missed.
Why do small, unexpected requests matter?
A request to share a capability deck can feel like busywork, but it tells you something: someone is preparing to pitch. It is often the first sign of an opportunity on its way. Share the deck promptly, ask what it is for, and offer to tailor it. That is a simple way to be first in line when the real work arrives.
How do you use a slow start productively?
Update the material you will need later: refresh your standard slides with current figures, tidy the team's repository, or finish a certification you put off during the busy months. Work done in a quiet week pays back when the pace picks up, which it almost always does within a few weeks.
What if the quiet period drags on?
After two or three weeks with little work, ask your manager directly about the pipeline and whether you should be looking at other accounts. Many companies have formal processes for unallocated staff, and it is better to understand yours early than be surprised by it.
That first quiet week in 2019 was a reset rather than a warning. The request for a capability deck, small as it was, was the thread worth pulling.